Roger Steffens New Book - "So Much Things To Say: The Oral History of Bob Marley"

I'm continually asked when my Marley Oral History, So Much Things To Say, will be published. The answer is July 11 and there is a terrific discount currently available on amazon.com for preorders

"So Much Things To Say: The Oral History of Bob Marley" (Norton Press) ... Linton Kwesi Johnson wrote the intro! It is the result of 14 years of writing and 27 years of research, interviews with 74 of those closest to Bob and 40 rare and unreleased photos I took.

My French translator (the book has already been sold for French, Brazilian, Spanish and Dutch reprints) sent this critique:

'So Much Things' is by far the most important and definitive book written about Bob Marley, therefore in my opinion the best book about Jamaican music, although there are many contenders. To me it ranks with Mezz Mezzrow's 'Really the Blues' masterpiece, Mike Gerber's 'Jazz Jews' or Keith Richards' 'Life.' But really, although it's easy and pleasant to read for anyone, it's beyond a book about music, it's a major ethnology study. In showing what Bob Marley's true place is as a historical figure of the twentieth century, just like the best Mandela or Gandhi or Lennon biographies it's about mankind on an anthropologic level. It makes it real, it makes you face it, and what it is that it really makes you face is what the majority of the human race, what all of the people South of the rich West really have to say to everyone — North, South, East and West. It's about identity, culture, pride, spirituality — it helps us understand who we really are. That's what Bob Marley was all about, and as such his brilliant works stand unparalleled in the music business. Thank you for putting together a book that matches the level and scope of its outstanding subject. - Bruno Blum (Musician, music historian, writer, artist and lecturer based in Paris.)

One Love,
Roger



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2017 05:46AM by Peacemakeya.

Dear Friends,

My Marley oral history book is about to drop next Tuesday. For those in the L.A. area, the attached invite to its debut at Skylight Books on Saturday July 15 at 5 pm will give you details of the publication party/reading at our city's finest independent bookstore ... 1818 N. Vermont Ave,. Los Angeles, CA.

Today, Rolling Stone Magazine has posted a chapter from the book. It's about the assassination attempt on Marley's life in December of 1976. Here's the link:

Rolling Stone Magazine / Marley Chapter

I'll be on NPR Monday morning on a network show called 1A talking with Joshua Johnson about the book.

It's the number one reggae book currently on amazon (the kindle version is number six), and there's an audio book which I read coming next week too from Tantor Media. I spent the last 15 years working on this one, and I hope you like it.

One Love,
Roger

Can't wait to read it!!!!!!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/2017 01:27AM by marley56.

Would love to attend this event for my good friend Roger but as he knows Guam is a bit of a trip.

Got my pre-order in though and look forward to a good read.

Jah Son

[www.nytimes.com]

I just got my copy in the mail today......can't wait to get into it. I read Toure's review and he nailed it when he said "Marley was that rarity — a black revolutionary who didn’t scare white people".................

[www.newyorker.com]

Ras A: that new yorker article states that he sang queens "another one bites the dust" over and over at soundcheck of the final show in pittsburgh but every other account of that night says that he sang his own tune "Im hurting inside"
I find that somewhere between hard to believe and completely made up bullshit.

Respect Same Way

You know I didn't buy that at first but I read
the book and then I asked the man whose who was
quoted, Dennis Thompson who was one of the two
engineers there at the last show. I told him people
didn't believe it was another one bites the dust. He said
that was what Bob was singing. Now for a moment
I dont think for a second that Bob and the Wailers were
rehearsing the song or even Bob just playing it. I think
he was just singing it to himself over and over. Dennis asked
Bob if it was a new tune because Dennis had not heard it
before. Bob just smiled. If you wonder why
he might have been singing this song- Another one bites
the dust was released in 1980 and Dennis remembers Bob asking him if he wanted to go but didn't).
(Queen didn't play Madison Square Garden til after Bob's last show- the song's debut 8-17-1980 @ St Louis concert ) perhaps Bob just heard it
on the radio- and if your not old enough to remember
Weird Al Yankovic did his own version "another one rides the bus" around that time as it was a popular tune. The reason
I think he had this tune in his head is because he'd just been told by friends that doctors had told him he was terminal and
I'm pretty sure that "another one bites the dust" might take on a whole new meaning. I'm guessing band showed up at some
point and played "keep on moving" for 40 mins (salewicz & Davis books both state that. Dennis I think is very credible
and this all happened many years ago. Its a great book for fans of Bob Marley who will get a chance to read several different stories of the same incident and you will see not everyone has the same recollection and its for you to decide who is telling it straight. I have to say one of the things that really got me was now I.remember reading about how Colby Jr (ex cia directors son) was supposed to have given Bob a pair of boots with cancer inducing wire in them (james bond stylee). In the book Roger is interviewing Colby Jr about being a filmmaker who wanted to film smile jamaica concert in 1976. He describes the aftermath of the shooting at Island House and then Roger tells him of the story going around about the boots and how perception is now from rumor Colby Jr" is the one who "killed Bob". When you read the book you will see how horrified and pissed off he became because he tells quite a different story. So if you take that into consideration you will see there truly is "so much things to say" and after spending many hours at Roger's House and working at his exhibit at the Queen Mary in Long Beach back in 2001- I heard many of these stories before but many I.have not. This book changed the way I look at Bob a little different because a poor boy from Nine Mile teased about his "red" complexion who thru determination went on to become one of the most widely recognised human beings ever and one who didn't do it with violence but songs of freedom.

DJ Big Jim

Riparian Roots Weds 8-11pm KLLG 97.9 Willits, CA (2016-)
Ridgetop Ranking Reggae Radio show (2011-2016)
KMEC 105.1fm Ukiah, CA
Uptown Top Ranking DJ/HOST (1997-2010)
KUCI 88.9FM Irvine, CA



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 07/27/2017 06:49PM by DJ BIG JIM.

bless,i just started reading this book,,interesting..

I'll be interviewing Roger on KMUD this Sunday at 4PM during the World Beat Show...............

Quote
mamacali
I'll be interviewing Roger on KMUD this Sunday at 4PM during the World Beat Show...............

Mamacali - Does your program stream live on the internet? I'd like to hear that interview.

www.kmud.org

don't forget if you can't make it
to the 33rd Reggae on the River August 3-6
KMUD is your way to "be there without being there"
www.reggaeontheriver.com

Im excited to hear what Roger will say
Respect to mamacali and all the good people at KMUD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/28/2017 04:06PM by DJ BIG JIM.

[www.kmud.org]

All are invited to my multi-media presentation at USC on Tuesday evening Oct. 3. It's free and open to everyone. I'll have copies of the new Marley Oral History book for sale and signing there. Feel free to bring any of my older books to be signed too.

Also, for anyone in the greater Washington, D.C. area, I'm inviting you all to come hear me read at the Library of Congress on November 2. A lot of my east coast friends have promised to come to what is assuredly one of my life's major events, from as far away as Connecticut and Boston. I do hope to see a lot of you there.

One Love,
Roger

Wow! Library of Congress ... Congrats Rog ... historically propitious and may I take the opportunity to editorialize and suggest you remind them of what 1 of their own insiders so profoundly said:

Quote
Eleanor Roosevelt

When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/2017 09:11PM by Peacemakeya.

Coronation Day Vibes*
Big Up!
One Love

Quote
Peacemakeya
All are invited to my multi-media presentation at USC on Tuesday evening Oct. 3. It's free and open to everyone. I'll have copies of the new Marley Oral History book for sale and signing there. Feel free to bring any of my older books to be signed too.

Also, for anyone in the greater Washington, D.C. area, I'm inviting you all to come hear me read at the Library of Congress on November 2. A lot of my east coast friends have promised to come to what is assuredly one of my life's major events, from as far away as Connecticut and Boston. I do hope to see a lot of you there.

One Love,
Roger

Wow! Library of Congress ... Congrats Rog ... historically propitious and may I take the opportunity to editorialize and suggest you remind them of what 1 of their own insiders so profoundly said:

Quote
Eleanor Roosevelt

When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?

I don't get a lot of free time in my busy life to do any reading, but I just finished Chapter 10 of Roger's book, and it is quite fascinating. Finding all the different versions of things that happened in Bob's life to be very interesting.

Well done, Rajah!

JahSon

Today Roger is speaking at the Library of Congress - Washington DC

Library of Congress

Could it be true that during Roger's presentation, some key congressional players will be making a surprise nomination of Clinton for president ... that is Clinton Fearon (the Gladiator of Old)

I Was graced to meet him last week in Wash DC on 16th and U st he was in town doing a presentation at Library of Congress Nov 2cd Coronation Day a humble soulful man. He walked up to I and introduced himself.